Acne scars may be a skin problem, but it isn’t just skin deep. It may affect your self-esteem and everything that’s tied to it.
If you’re facing this kind of facial problem, it’s not too late to know more about them and explore your options in minimizing acne scars.
Bacteria, dead skin cells, and excess oils can cause inflamed blemishes on your skin. The pores swell and may cause breakage of the skin. Typically, shallow lesions may heal quickly.
If the pore experiences deep breakage, the infection can spill out into the surrounding tissues. This factor results in the creation of deeper lesions.
As the skin aims to heal itself, it forms new collagen fibers. This mechanism doesn’t usually result in a smooth and flawless renewal of skin. This mishap creates various types of acne scars.
Acne scars can be as mild as few patches or as horrible as a bunch of craters. However they look, it pays to know their forms for you to have an idea which treatment might suit you.
They’re flat and red spots caused by acne lesions. Macules can be visible for weeks and then fades on their own.
This skin problem is also called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Acne scars may leave the skin discolored.
Also called keloids or hypertrophic scars, these scars are caused by the excess production of collagen in your skin. They may appear as enlarged and raised growths of tissues.
These are more common than raised tissue scars. They look like pits on the skin. Loss of tissue causes it. They’re also called Follicular Macular Atrophy, Ice-Pick Scars, Depressed Fibrotic Scars, Soft Scars, and Atrophic Macules.
Acne scars may have ruined your self-esteem, but it’s not too late to know your dermatologically tested solutions in minimizing acne scars. These procedures can’t erase ‘everything, ‘ but they can reduce the problem that’s right on your face.
By: Jason Emer, MD
This scar removal treatment uses a high-speed brush or another instrument to reduce scars or minimize its depth.
Risks:
One week or so, Dermabrasion candidates should:
This procedure is less intensive than Dermabrasion. In this treatment, a dermatologist or aesthetician uses minute crystals instead of a high-speed brush to remove the surface skin. More than one treatment may be required. No downtime is needed.
Risks:
The recovery time for Microdermabrasion is minimal. Patients should:
This treatment may help reduce the appearance of Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) around a healed acne lesion. It can also lessen the presence of shallow scars.
Chemical Peels should be performed by a doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner or spa aesthetician. This treatment involves the removal of the skin’s outer layer. It may give a smoother and more even appearance. The strength of the acid used may cause redness and may peel for a few days.
Risks:
This treatment includes the use of a laser to remove the outer layer of skin. It may be used to contour areas of acne scars. It can also help in lightening the redness around healed acne lesions.
Whether an acne scar is flat or raised, different types of lasers might be used. Also, more than one laser treatment may be required for every type of laser used. Several days might be needed to heal.
Risks:
Once the treatment area is fully healed, you should:
Fillers are especially for those that have experienced the crater-like appearance of skin. Substances like Collagen Fats and Hyaluronic acid may be used to ‘fill out’ the pits.
The skin eventually absorbs fillers. This factor means that filler injections should be repeated every few months. Repetition of the treatment may depend on the type of product used. For this treatment, no downtime for recovery is needed.
Risks:
You should inform your doctor if you’re using any of the following:
What to expect after the procedure
In excision, the doctor would cut into the skin to remove the acne scar. The wounds are closed with stitches.
In Punch Replacement Grafting, the doctor takes a skin graft from behind the ear. The graft will be used to fill in the acne scars.
The treatments may cost from several hundred to several thousand dollars. Also, it depends on the extent of treatment. Since most medical insurance considers these procedures as cosmetic treatments, they’re generally not covered.
Only certified experts must perform Acne Scar Removal Treatments. Wrong administration of this treatment can lead to irreversible effects. Heed these factors that allow you to choose your doctor wisely.
The effectivity of the treatments may vary on the patient’s ability to maintain the procedures. Also, lifestyle and health may affect the occurrence of side effects.